Tag: Kevin Smith

Clerks III

BLU-RAY REVIEW:

Street Date 12/6/22;
Lionsgate;
Comedy;
Box Office $4.6 million;
$21.98 DVD, $22.99 Blu-ray;
Rated ‘R’ for pervasive language, crude sexual material, and drug content.
Stars Brian O’Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Trevor Fehrman, Austin Zajur, Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith, Marilyn Ghigliotti, Rosario Dawson, Jennifer Schwalbach, Harley Quinn Smith.

Kevin Smith’s films are known for being autobiographical and self-referential, but Clerks III takes it to another level.

The latest peek into the happenings at the Quick Stop convenience store finds Dante (Brian O’Halloran) and Randal (Jeff Anderson) still running the shop where we were first introduced to them way back in 1994’s Clerks, and which they bought at the end of 2006’s Clerks II.

When film buff Randal suffers a near-fatal heart attack, he decides to make a movie chronicling his experiences working in retail and dealing with an endless stream of insufferable customers — which is pretty much everything we witnessed from the first two “Clerks” movies.

The dialogue between Randal and his heart surgeon will be instantly recognizable to anyone who has watched Smith discuss his own heart attack he had in 2018. In fact, thanks to Smith’s predilection for talking about himself every chance he gets, longtime fans will perceive the source inspiration for nearly all the characters, scenes and storylines from the films he’s written, and Clerks III is no different.

It’s well established how Smith self-financed the original Clerks, filming it in the very convenience store where he worked. Not only are the characters of Dante and particularly Randal based on aspects of his personality, but he’s also literally manifested in the film as Silent Bob — one half of the pot-dealing duo of Jay and Silent Bob (alongside his real-life best bud Jason Mewes) who would subsequently form the basis of the View Askewniverse shared fictional reality (named for Smith’s View Askew Productions company) in films such as Mallrats, Chasing Amy and Dogma before cinematic universes were cool.

By having the characters he based on himself decide to make the movie he made that started his career, while simultaneously inserting his own heart attack into the story to ruminate on the fleeting nature of life, Smith has not only turned the meta dial up to 11, he’s trying to inch it to 12 and beyond, like a cinematic ouroboros eating its own tail.

Clerks III is a textbook example of a director using his art to reflect on his own career, which becomes even more evident when Silent Bob character becomes the cinematographer for the film-within-a-film and gives a speech about why it’s being shot in black-and-white (as the original Clerks was).

Smith’s movies are admittedly an acquired taste, so Clerks III in general is probably best described as lightweight fluff with a heavy heart (pun intended). For those enmeshed in his storytelling thrall, the film is surprisingly emotional and sentimentally resonate, though it relies on some troubling story points that many fans are likely to find jarring, particularly in how they reframe Clerks II in a new context.

But Clerks III brings the saga of Dante and Randal full circle, culminating in a third-act twist that embodies a plot point Smith has been aiming to pull off since the original Clerks (which also is treated as an in-joke).

With its true-to-life trappings, Clerks III is Smith’s most authentic film since the original Clerks, but how could it not be? He’s essentially remaking the original film with the full hindsight and built-out world of the cinematic universe that it spawned.

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As far as the View Askewniverse goes, this is the eighth film set in it (or ninth, or tenth, depending on what you want to count), and Easter egg-type references to all the previous entries are layered throughout the movie. There’s even some references to 2000’s “Clerks: The Animated Series” sprinkled in for good measure. Heck, the story of how Smith shot Clerks in a store was already used by him the basis for another movie, 2008’s Zack and Miri Make a Porno, which also is referenced to some degree in Clerks III.

Smith originally intended to move on from the adventures of Jay and Silent Bob and the various ancillary characters of their shared existence following 2001’s Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, but returned to their world to check in on Dante and Randal 10 years post-Clerks in Clerks II, which then seemed like the denouement of the View Askewniverse. He proceeded to make a number of offbeat comedies until his heart attack prompted him to return to the realm of his most famous characters with 2019’s Jay & Silent Bob Reboot, which gave a fleeting glimpse of what was up with the Quick Stop in the decade-and-a-half since Clerks II.

He had been trying to make a third “Clerks” for several years but scrapped the project due to Anderson declining to participate. That iteration of the threequel would have found Randal building a community around an ad hoc convenience store he creates while waiting in line for a movie a year before it opens. Smith’s heart attack prompted him to craft a more personal story for the third film, which enticed Anderson to come back on board.

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All of these behind-the-scenes details are expanded upon in the outstanding Clerks III physical-media presentation, which includes a couple of great feature-length documentaries packed onto the single Blu-ray Disc, meaning you essentially get three movies in one package.

First, there’s The Clerks III Documentary, an hour-and-a-half production diary of the making of the film with raw on-set footage and interviews with the cast and filmmakers.

Even better is We’re Not Even Supposed to Be Here Today: 3 Decades of Clerks, a one-hour-15-minute retrospective about the entire history of the “Clerks” franchise and its legacy. In it, Smith discusses his savvy move to retain ownership of the Jay and Silent Bob characters when he was selling the original Clerks, thus providing the foundation for the cinematic universe that would bolster his career and make him a cult icon.

This is an especially salient point given that a number of studios have been involved in making the View Askewniverse movies over the years, which only complicates the ownership of the various characters (and likely makes any future “Clerks” trilogy set problematic at best).

Smith himself alludes to this in a two-minute video introduction to the Blu-ray in which he extolls the virtues of physical media, citing Dogma as an example since it isn’t available through digital retailers thanks to those aforementioned rights issues (the Blu-ray can fetch big bucks on eBay).

Clerks III on disc also includes a fun audio commentary with Smith, O’Halloran, Anderson, and co-stars Trevor Fehrman and Austin Zajur, in which they all discuss what led them down the path to making the sequel.

Rounding out the extras are a half-hour of deleted, alternate and extended scenes, featuring more references and fourth-wall breaking, plus a bit of foreshadowing.

As a special treat, the digital copy included with the Blu-ray redeems for a full 4K Ultra HD version on Vudu, not just regular high-def as most Blu-ray copy codes would. A 4K disc of the film is available only through a Steelbook edition at Best Buy.

‘Clerks III’ Available for Digital Purchase Oct. 14, on Disc and VOD Dec. 6

Lionsgate will release director Kevin Smith’s Clerks III for digital purchase Oct. 14, and on Blu-ray Disc, DVD and VOD Dec. 6.

The film completes a trilogy that began with Smith’s 1994 directorial debut Clerks. and continued with 2006’s Clerks II. It is also the ninth entry in Smith’s View Askewniverse, his shared cinematic universe linked by Jay and Silent Bob (Jason Mewes and Smith) and named for his production company, View Askew.

Clerks III returns to the adventures of Dante (Brian O’Halloran) and Randal (Jeff Anderson) about 15 years after they purchased the Quick Stop convenience store. After Randal suffers a massive heart attack (based on Smith’s own real-life heart attack), he decides to make a movie about his life in the retail service industry (as depicted in the first two “Clerks” movies).

The cast also includes Trevor Fehrman, Austin Zajur, and Rosario Dawson.

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The film has made about $2.2 million during a limited Fathom Events theatrical run and a live roadshow tour presented by Smith himself.

Home video extras include the film’s trailer, deleted scenes, and a commentary by Smith, O’Halloran, Anderson, Fehrman and Zajur.

Extras exclusive to the Blu-ray will be the featurettes “The Clerks III Documentary” and “We’re Not Even Supposed to Be Here Today: 3 Decades of Clerks.“

The Blu-ray will also include access to a digital copy.

A 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Steelbook combo pack of Clerks III will be available exclusively at Best Buy.

Shatner Reigns During Comic-Con Day 1

SAN DIEGO — William Shatner had himself a day at Comic-Con.

The 91-year-old actor best known for playing Capt. James T. Kirk on “Star Trek” spent the opening day of San Diego Comic-Con International, July 21, reflecting on his career at several events promoting an upcoming documentary about his life, and even officially joined the ranks of the “Masters of the Universe,” while being feted by fans and colleagues.

Filmmaker Kevin Smith summed up Shatner’s impact with his introduction to the “Shatner on Shatner” Hall H panel that closed out the first day of Comic-Con’s return as an in-person staple of summer fandom, with the 2020 and 2021 shows relegated to online events due to the pandemic.

Kevin Smith moderating the “Shatner on Shatner” Comic-Con panel July 21

“How does it feel to be home kids? Welcome back,” said Smith, a longtime staple of Comic-Con. “Three long years waiting for this moment and the summer’s finally been redefined, and tonight we’re going to do one of the most Comic-Con things you can do at Comic-Con, we’re going to sit down and talk to a living legend, ladies and gentlemen. If there is a pop culture Mount Rushmore, and you just have to pick four faces, his face is definitely one of those faces.”

Smith, who served as executive producer and showrunner for Netflix’s “Masters of the Universe: Revelation,” earlier in the day announced that Shatner had joined the cast for its upcoming sequel, “Masters of the Universe: Revolution,” for a mystery role.

That announcement was made during the “Masters of the Universe” 40th Anniversary panel also hosted by Smith, who repeated a story he told about working with Shatner in the voice booth. As showrunner, Smith doesn’t normally direct the voiceovers for the show, but couldn’t resist the opportunity “years from now to say I directed Captain Kirk!”

With Shatner preparing to read his lines, Smith recalled, “I said, ‘Hey Bill, do me a favor, on this line do it like super fast like you’re frustrated or something like that.’ And he goes, this is my favorite thing that ever happened — we were doing it on Zoom, so he’s in a booth at a recording studio, I’m on a laptop at my home; my wife is literally just off to the side reading a book, disinterested until what happened happened, and he goes, ‘Kevin, Kevin, Kevin. In a moment, you will have the honor of directing me. Let me work through this first.’”

Smith continued: “And so I stepped back and gave the man his space, and I looked over at my wife who had put her book down to stare at me wide-eyed. And I look at her and I pressed mute, and she said, ‘It took Captain Kirk to get Silent Bob to shut up!”

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The main topic of discussion for the “Shatner on Shatner” panel was a new documentary being made about Shatner’s life in conjunction with Legion M, which is touted as the first fan-owned entertainment company, and Exhibit A pictures.

In discussing why now was the right time to do a documentary about him, Shatner reflected on how it’s becoming harder to remain active as he gets older.

“My breath is short, I’m 91 years old, and this wonderful gentleman came along in the knick of time,” Shatner said, then joked, “All these autographs I’m doing are going to be worth a lot more money when I die, and the documentary on my life, think of how quickly you’ll sell it if I should die on the panel. Imagine everyone’s good fortune if I should die right here.”

“None of us want that sir, but that would be amazing,” Smith retorted. “People would be like, he died like the legend he was.”

The documentary came about shortly after Shatner became an advisor to Legion M, according to VP of development David Baxter.

“We talked about this idea of a fan-owned company and he’s like, you should talk to my people, and we did, and once that dialogue started going back and forth about the power of the fans, the fact that they’re the ones who consume all this media, so why shouldn’t they have an upsell, he was intrigued,” Baxter said.

Legion M used equity crowdfunding to produce films, TV shows and VR projects, and is owned by 35,000 investors who can join the company for as little as $100. Legion M also helped Smith make 2019’s Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, and recruited him years ago to interview the late Stan Lee for an Icons documentary that is still being completed.

“Shatner on Shatner” panelists included (L-R) moderator Kevin Smith; Legion M co-founder/president Jeff Annison, and VP of development David Baxter; Exhibit A Pictures’ Kerry Deignan Roy and Alexandre O. Philippe, producer and director, respectively, of the upcoming documentary about William Shatner; and William Shatner.

Baxter recalls mentioning Shatner’s involvement with Legion M to Exhibit A’s Alexandre O. Philippe, the director of another of the company’s productions, Memory: The Origins of Alien, a documentary about Ridley Scott’s 1979 sci-fi thriller.

“He said, ‘My god, I’ve always wanted to make a documentary about William Shatner,’” Baxter recalled. “I said, ‘Let’s see what we can do.”

Shatner said he agreed to do the project after discussing it with Philippe.

“I was betting on you guys and I knew Alexandre’s reputation. I was going on faith,” Shatner said. “The management of this company is terrific. This is a group of vital, young, intelligent, creative people.”

“I grew up watching Bill on a black-and-white television in Switzerland, and I’ve been a fan for a long time,” Philippe said. “I’m really a fan of Bill the human, and I’m really a fan of your observations on life, on the nature and the universe, on these connections, these things that connect us all in strange and mysterious ways. So I started really thinking about what is the best way at least from my perspective to make a film about Bill, and I was thinking about his wonderful autobiographical songs.

“Basically I decided to structure the doc around a number of songs, and delve into essentially a number of themes that I felt were really important, and so the film is really a celebration of Bill the human and his career of course. So it’s going to be a very lyrical film, a very poetic film.”

Added producer Kerry Deignan Roy: “It’s amazing the energy this man has, and it’s been a joy just to work with him, and to share this moment in time. We spent three days together in a studio grilling him, and he shared a lot.”

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In the afternoon, Shatner took the time to stop by NBCUniversal’s display across the street from the San Diego Convention Center promoting its Covi TV FAST (free ad-supported streaming television) channel with the car from “3rd Rock From the Sun,” on which Shatner guest starred.

In the morning, as part of Legion M’s activities to promote the documentary, Shatner participated in a handprint ceremony at Theatre Box San Diego, where the lobby is adorned with signatures, handprints and footprints of Hollywood icons dating back decades. An afterparty was held at the venue following the Hall H panel.

Shatner, an accomplished equestrian, said he had been competing in a horse show in San Francisco the day before.

William Shatner imprinting his hands in cement at Theatre Box San Diego July 21

“My hands are swollen,” Shatner joked. “I’m really afraid that when I put my hands in the cement it will stick and I’ll be like in a kneeling position for the rest of my life.”

Among the special guests in attendance at the handprint ceremony were legendary film critic Leonard Maltin, and actor Paul Wesley, who is taking on the role of Capt. Kirk in the new Paramount+ TV series “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.”

“We all know Mr. Shatner is a Broadway star, a Shakespearian performer, an equestrian, an author, a recording artist, an astronaut, among many many other credentials,” Maltin said, before discussing Shatner’s role in a 1997 radio production re-creating Orson Welles notorious War of the Worlds broadcast based on the HG Wells book.

“Who’d it star? William Shatner,” Maltin said. “I had a bit part as a radio announcer. I wasn’t very good. He was great. And there is an art, a technique to radio acting. It doesn’t just happen. Not every actor is automatically good acting without being able to use your face. Without being able to use body language, gestures. He acquired that art.

“It just says that William Shatner is the complete actor. He can do anything. Whatever he does, you know he’s going to do it well. That’s why we love him.”

Wesley said Shatner was supportive of him taking on the role of Kirk.

(L-R): Captain Kirk actors William Shatner and Paul Wesley

“How do you replace a legend? Well, you don’t. It’s simply not possible, and why would you try? Instead you promise to safeguard the legacy entrusted to you, and then you go out and do the work. You find some way to make the role your own while finding some way to honor the history that it carries,” Wesley said. “Precious few roles in television and film present such a daunting challenge. One of them is certainly ‘Star Trek’s’ James T. Kirk. This character’s place in entertainment history is indelible. It’s a fixed moment in our collective memory. No matter where you go, no matter where you are, an image of Capt. Kirk brings instant recognition. Why is that? Because for nearly 60 years that role has been personified by a man of equally renowned stature, Mr. William Shatner.

“Attempting to re-create an iconic screen role is a tall order. You’re following in the footsteps of gifted actors who blazed the trail you now walk. But if we tread where they’ve already been, it does no justice to the role or those who inhabited it before you. Actors who took the words written on the page and embodied them with everything they possessed as artists. You’re expected to do nothing less. And in fact you’re expected to bring something more. Something previously unseen and perhaps something unexpected. While at the same time paying homage from whom you’ve taken the mantle.

“Now that is a tough gig on any normal day, but for a day on ‘Star Trek’ where you’ve been asked to take on the role of Captain Kirk, it is both a challenge and the opportunity of a lifetime. And I can’t imagine taking on such a character, and everything it means for countless fans, without having the support of the man who first brought him to life. Thankfully, Bill, or Mr. Shatner, the original captain himself, went out of his way to make a newcomer like me feel welcome, and for that I will forever feel grateful.”

On the other hand, Shatner didn’t mince words at the Hall H panel when asked if there were any standout performances from the “Star Trek” shows that came after his.

“Nothing,” Shatner said. “I got to know [“Star Trek” creator] Gene Roddenberry in three years fairly well … but he’d be turning in his grave at some of the stuff.”

Kevin Smith Promotes Movies Anywhere ‘My Lists’ Feature With His Film Favorites

Filmmaker Kevin Smith is helping to promote the “My Lists” feature on the cloud-based movie locker service Movies Anywhere.

Smith used the feature to unveil his ultimate movie lists across four categories, choosing from more than 8,000 movies in the Movie Anywhere catalog. Smith’s personal lists are:

  • “Movies That Made Me Who I Am”
  • “Respecter of Directors”
  • “Nonstop Talk & Dialogue Deluges” and
  • “My Marvel Top 10.” 

 

His lists are featured exclusively on the service with video commentary on why he chose each movie and the impact these films had on him as a passionate cinephile and movie collector.

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It’s not the first time Movies Anywhere has worked with the filmmaker. In April, he created a list of 18 movies that were his “greatest inspirations of all time.”

Movies Anywhere launched the “My Lists” feature in August. It allows all users to personalize their movie collections. Users can get an organized list via AI, machine learning, and a special algorithm that auto-generates lists specifically for each user, based on the user’s unique viewing and purchasing behavior. Suggested lists are developed by genres, people, franchises, or themes utilizing user movie watching and purchasing habits. “My Lists” is also customizable and users can create their own or tweak the auto-generated lists to better suit their needs.

Sony Pictures Entertainment, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (including DreamWorks and Illumination Entertainment), The Walt Disney Studios (including Disney, Pixar, 20th Century Studios, Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm), and Warner Bros. Entertainment are all participating studios in Movies Anywhere. Movies Anywhere participating retailers include Apple TV, Prime Video, Vudu, Google Play/YouTube, Microsoft Movies & TV, Xfinity, FandangoNow, Verizon Fios TV and DirecTV.

Clerk.

DIGITAL REVIEW:

1091 Pictures;
Documentary;
Not rated.
Features Kevin Smith, Scott Mosier, Jason Mewes, Stan Lee, Justin Long, Penn Jillette.

Kevin Smith’s love of movies led him to make the 1994 indie comedy Clerks. Little did he know how much his self-funded labor of love would not only propel him down a path toward becoming a pop-culture icon, but bringing a degree of fame to those in his orbit as well.

The documentary Clerk. Is an exploration of that journey.

The film traces Smith’s life story from his childhood in New Jersey, to attending a film school in Canada on a whim. Inspired by Richard Linklater’s Slackers, Smith realized he didn’t need the backing of a major Hollywood studio to make a movie. And put himself in it, creating the character of Silent Bob, paired with his pal Jason Mewes as Jay.

The success of Clerks did bring Hollywood calling, landing Smith a gig to write and direct the film that would become 1995 Mallrats. And while that film was both a critical and commercial failure, it gave Smith the fodder to return to the indie fold with 1997’s Chasing Amy.

Using interviews with friends, family, fellow filmmakers and Smith himself, Clerk. chronicles the trajectory of Smith’s career to the present, from creating a shared universe of characters to tackling bizarre concepts such as Tusk, and how a heart attack led him to return to the world of Jay and Silent Bob.

Clerk. is a fascinating look at an unlikely Hollywood career. Smith’s fans in particular will eat it up, as it plays like a mega bonus feature for his entire filmography.

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Kevin Smith Biographical Documentary ‘Clerk.’ Available Digitally Nov. 23

The documentary Clerk., about the life and career of indie film icon and raconteur Kevin Smith, will be available through digital retailers beginning Nov. 23 from 1091 Pictures.

Directed by Malcolm Ingram, the film features new interviews with friends, family, filmmaking peers, and icons of the film, comedy and comic book worlds, including Scott Mosier, Jason Mewes, Stan Lee, Justin Long, Penn Jillette, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Smith himself.

After growing up in New Jersey, Smith gained a passion for filmmaking and self-funded his debut feature film, Clerks, which was released in 1994. This opened the door to a career in the pop culture entertainment space, with subsequent directorial efforts such as Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, stints writing for popular comic book characters, and frequent speaking engagements at venues such as Comic-Con and his own podcast.

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Lionsgate Acquires Rights to Kevin Smith’s ‘Clerks 3’

Lionsgate July 19 announced it has acquired worldwide rights to Kevin Smith’s Clerks III, the new sequel to the cult classic of indie cinema, which is currently in pre-production in New Jersey and will begin production next month.

Director Kevin Smith

Smith has written the script and will direct, with all major cast members set to reprise their roles — Jeff Anderson as Randal, Brian O’Halloran as Dante, Jason Mewes as Jay, Kevin Smith as Silent Bob, and Rosario Dawson as Becky. The film will be produced by Liz Destro and Jordan Monsanto.

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In Clerks III, following a massive heart attack, Randal enlists fellow clerks Dante, Elias, Jay, and Silent Bob to make a movie immortalizing his life at the convenience store that started it all.

“There’s a saying from the Tao that goes something like ‘To be great is to go on. To go on is to go far. To go far is to return’” Smith said in a statement.

Smith said the movie would be shot on location in New Jersey, where the original 1994 Clerks was filmed.

“As an ode to both the enduring allure of cinema and the resourcefulness and lunacy of its storytellers,” Smith said. “Years ago, Dante and Randal made me a filmmaker — so now it’s time I return the favor.”

Indeed, Smith jokes that 2021 marks the 27th year since the last time he had a real job. On July 23, Smith premieres “Masters of the Universe: Revelation” on Netflix.

Eda Kowan, EVP of acquisitions and co-productions for Lionsgate, said the “Clerks” movies are audience favorites and many of Smith’s films, such as Dogma, Red State and Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, are a beloved part of the Lionsgate library.

“We’re thrilled to be presenting the next chapter in the ‘Clerks’ saga to moviegoers worldwide,” said Kowan, who acquired the project and will oversee the film for Lionsgate.

Kowan, Grace Duplissea and Kaycee Holcomb negotiated the deal for Lionsgate. Destro and Jackie Eckhouse at Sloss Law negotiated the deal on behalf of Kevin Smith and the producers.

Family Video Launches Promo to #SaveTheVideoStore

As it struggles during the pandemic, Family Video, the last major video store chain, is launching a promotional campaign called #SaveTheVideoStore to drum up consumer support.

With the help of studios and Hollywood talent such as Clerks director Kevin Smith, Family Video is bowing the campaign to celebrate physical media and generate nostalgia for the video store.

“Our plan with this campaign is to not hide from the stark reality that our business has been affected by streaming, COVID and just about everything else this year,” said senior brand manager Derek Dye. “We are hoping to pull at the heartstrings of physical media fans, video store fanatics and movie lovers as a whole to support us in this difficult time for our business.”

The campaign runs Nov. 9 to 22, boosted by a video of support for the chain from Smith, whose Clerks famously included scenes at a video store. But the major push is at the store level.

“We are going for a very grassroots initiative with our stores making signage, posters, painting the windows of our stores to get the word out,” Dye said. “We think that strategy along with the help of media outlets could help us immensely to drive traffic and awareness to our stores.”

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Battered by the pandemic and other hardships, the chain has shut down about 200 of its approximately 500 stores. It now has 300 stores in 17 states.

“It’s been a difficult year,” Dye said.

The nostalgic nature of the video store has not been lost on pop culture, even at a streaming service that is supplanting it, Netflix. Family Video has figured in previous seasons and will be featured prominently in the next season of Netflix’s “Stranger Things.”

Family Video T-shirt

The chain has been successfully selling Family Video retro-looking T-shirts to supplement income and capitalize on the nostalgia for video stores. Family Video has sold more than 700 of the T-shirts at $19.78 (1978 was the year the chain was established). In support of the new initiative, the chain is also selling a new  #SaveTheVideoStore shirt.

“Everybody has a fun memory of video stores,” Dye said.

He hopes the public will get the message that this institution is in trouble and needs fans to come in and support it.

The plea of the campaign, Dye said: “We need your help to save the video store.”

Mallrats (Limited Edition)

BLU-RAY REVIEW:

MVD/Arrow;
Comedy;
$39.95 Blu-ray;
Rated ‘R’ for strong language, including sexual dialogue, and for some scenes of sexuality and drug content.
Stars Shannen Doherty, Jeremy London, Jason Lee, Claire Forlani, Michael Rooker, Ben Affleck, Joey Lauren Adams, Renee Humphrey, Ehtan Suplee, Priscilla Barnes, Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith, Stan Lee.

A box office bomb upon its release, director Kevin Smith’s second feature, 1995’s Mallrats, has since developed a huge cult following for an embrace of a nerd culture that was well ahead of its time.

Smith had already introduced his pop culture proclivities with the previous year’s indie darling Clerks, but Mallrats was his first big-studio effort, though aimed at the same basic target audience. (In fact, Smith recounts in one of the new interviews included with this Blu-ray that he pitched it as “Clerks at a mall”).

Though one of the film’s producers considered it ahead of its time, the financial and critical drubbing endured by Mallrats led Smith back into the realm of indie production, where he’s pretty much spent his entire feature directorial career since (the exceptions being 2010’s Cop Out for Warner, his only film he didn’t also write, and directing for television, mostly episodes of Warner’s Arrowverse here and there).

With Mallrats, Smith began to lay the foundation for his own cinematic universe, long before Marvel Studios came along. In addition to the return of Jay and Silent Bob (Jason Mewes and Smith), there are references to other characters and events mentioned in Clerks. And Smith would continue to mine the Mallrats cast for his future projects, reteaming with the core trio of Ben Affleck, Jason Lee and Joey Lauren Adams two years later for Chasing Amy, his heartfelt return to the indie fold.

What Mallrats is perhaps best known for, however, is the lengthy cameo by comic book icon Stan Lee. While the former Marvel Comics publisher had made a handful of movie and TV appearances beforehand, his role in Smith’s film is generally considered the genesis of a cinematic tradition that saw him appear in nearly every Marvel movie since — so much so that in one of his final cameos, for the ’90s set MCU prequel Captain Marvel, Lee is seen rehearsing his lines for Mallrats.

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The new Arrow Video edition of the film is a big step up from the previous Blu-ray released by Universal in 2014, which was basically just a re-creation of the 10th anniversary DVD set from 2005.

Arrow has restored both the 95-minute theatrical cut and the half-hour longer extended edition that first appeared on that earlier DVD. The new Blu-ray also adds a third version: the 85-minute TV-suitable cut featuring some amusing overdubbing of Jay’s dialogue with a noticeably different voice since Mewes didn’t show up to re-record his dialogue.

The always loquacious Smith provides new introductions for the theatrical and TV cuts, while he and producer Scott Mosier’s introduction for the extended cut comes from the old DVD (and Blu-ray).

Other new extras include an informative half-hour reflection from Smith about the making of the film; a 13-minute remembrance by Smith of producer Jim Jacks, who was the one who predicted the film’s audience would eventually grow to find it; a 10-minute retrospective from Mewes, who expected to be fired from the role he originated in Clerks due to his acting inexperience (Smith recounts the studio wanting Seth Green or Breckin Meyer to play Jay); a six-minute interview with cinematographer and frequent Smith collaborator Dave Klein; and Hollywood of the North, a 10-minute animated documentary about the local crew that worked on the film when it was shot in Minnesota.

The two-disc set also includes nearly two hours of footage from the film’s dailies, plus an extensive photo gallery.

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Carryovers from the previous releases include an hour of deleted scenes, eight minutes of outtakes, nine minutes of on-set cast interviews, a 22-minute archive making-of, a 10th anniversary Q&A with Smith running nine minutes, a “Build Me Up Buttercup” music video, and a featurette about the soundtrack.

The disc also comes with an essay booklet and a reversible slipcover containing both new box art and the classic poster art.

Not everything carried over, however. Among the missing extras from previous releases are a 10th anniversary cast reunion Q&A, a 10-year retrospective featurette, and a collection of vignettes offered as Easter eggs. So, collectors may want to hold onto that 2014 Blu-ray, but between that and the new version, Arrow’s edition is the one to get.

 

‘Mallrats,’ ‘The Last Starfighter’ Among Releases Coming to Blu-ray in October From Arrow and MVD

Kevin Smith’s Mallrats, The Last Starfighter and the horror film The Deeper You Dig are among the titles coming to Blu-ray Disc in October from Arrow Video and MVD Entertainment Group.

Oct. 6 comes The Deeper You Dig (2019), which follows a mother, daughter and stranger as they deal with the aftermath of a roadside accident. The film is a family affair written and directed by husband and wife tandem John Adams and Toby Poser, who also start alongside daughter Zelda. The limited-edition release also comes with The Hatred, a previously made feature film by the Adams family. Bonus features include a reversible sleeve featuring two exclusive choices of artwork; a double-sided fold-out poster; a limited edition illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing by Neil Mitchell; audio commentary by writers/directors/stars Toby Poser and John Adams; “At Home with the Adams Family,” an exclusive, in-depth interview with the trio of filmmakers responsible for The Deeper You Dig; “It’s in the Blood: The Family in the Horror Genre,” an exclusive visual essay by critic Anton Bitel exploring the theme of family in The Deeper You Dig and the Adams family’s broader filmography; a special effects breakdown with commentary by Trey Lindsay; a FrightFest TV interview with the Adams family; Hellbender music videos; the theatrical trailer; and an image gallery.

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Due Oct. 13 is Kevin Smith’s cult classic Mallrats (1995), a comedy about a pair of recently dumped best friends seeking refuge at their local mall. The new release includes new restorations for both the theatrical and extended cuts approved by Smith and cinematographer David Klein. Bonus features include a newly assembled TV cut of the film featuring hilarious overdubbing to cover up profanity with an intro by Smith; a collector’s booklet featuring new writing by Philip Kemp; a fold out poster featuring replica blueprints for “Operation Drive-by” and “Operation Dark Knight”; audio commentary with Smith, producer Scott Mosier, archivist Vincent Pereira, and actors Jason Lee, Ben Affleck and Jason Mewes; a new introduction to the film by Smith; “My Mallrat Memories,” an all-new interview with Smith; a newly filmed tribute to producer Jim Jacks by Smith; a new interview with Mewes; a new interview with cinematographer Klein; “Hollywood of the North,” a newly produced animated making-of documentary featuring Minnesota crew members who worked on the film; Smith and Vincent Pereira discussing deleted scenes and sequences originally cut from the film; outtakes and behind-the-scenes footage; cast interviews from the original set; “Erection of an Epic: The Making of Mallrats,” an archival retrospective with cast and crew looking at the making of and release of the film; a 10th anniversary archival Q&A with Smith; “Build Me Up Buttercup” music video; stills galleries; the theatrical trailer; a stills gallery of the comic books featured in the film’s opening sequence; and Easter eggs.

Also coming Oct. 13 is Kôji Shima’s 1956 classic Warning From Space. The first Japanese science-fiction film to be shot in color, it’s the story of giant starfish-like aliens that land in Tokyo. It’s the film’s first-ever HD release in America and includes a newly restored English dub. Extras include a new commentary by Stuart Galbraith IV, author of Monsters Are Attacking Tokyo!; theatrical trailers; image galleries; a reversible sleeve featuring newly commissioned artwork by Matt Griffin; and, for the first pressing only, an illustrated collector’s booklet featuring an essay on artist Taro Okamoto by Japanese art historian Nick West and an essay on the production of the American edit of the film by David Cairns.

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Coming Oct. 27 is the serial killer film Cold Light of Day (1989), a fictionalized story about one of Britain’s most brutal serial killers, Dennis Nilsen. The limited-edition release includes a new 2K restoration approved by the film’s director Fhiona-Louise. Bonus features include a new audio commentary with writer/director Fhiona-Louise; a new audio commentary with film historians/writers Dean Brandum and Andrew Nette; a newly-filmed interview with actor Martin Byrne-Quinn; a newly filmed interview with actor Steve Munroe; an original Cold Light of Day promo film made to raise financing for the feature; the re-release trailer; two short films starring director Fhiona-Louise and photographed by Star Wars DP David Tattershall, newly restored in HD, Metropolis Apocalypse (1988) and Sleepwalker (1993); a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gilles Vranckx; a limited-edition, die-cut O-card; and a limited-edition collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Jo Botting and a look at how the press reported Dennis Nilsen’s real-life crimes by Jeff Billington.

Finally, also on Oct. 27, comes Nick Castle’s The Last Starfighter. Released in 1984, The Last Starfighter follows gamer Alex Rogan who thinks he’s just playing another game until he finds himself transported to another planet where he learns the game was actually a recruitment effort. The Last Starfighter lands with a new 4K scan. Bonus features include a new audio commentary with Mike White of “The Last Projection Booth” podcast; an archival audio commentary with director Nick Castle and production designer Ron Cobb; the “Heroes of the Screen” archival featurette; the “Crossing the Frontier: The Making of The Last Starfighter” archival four-part documentary; image galleries; theatrical and teaser trailers; a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Matt Ferguson; a limited edition reversible poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork; and a collector’s booklet featuring new writing by Amanda Reyes and sci-fi author Greg Bear’s never-before-published Omni magazine article on Digital Productions, the company responsible for the CGI in The Last Starfighter.